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The present invention relates to displaying and dispensing disposable rain protection devices, such as rain hoods and bags for storing wet umbrellas, and more particularly to a reinforced display holder for use in displaying and dispensing such items.
The inventor has previously invented disposable receptacles for umbrellas, along with devices for the display and dispensing of such receptacles. The inventor has further developed a market for such devices. In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/484,104, the inventor recently disclosed a novel design for a disposable rain hood for display and dispensing from stands (see FIGS. 1-4). In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/548,488, the inventor recently disclosed a novel design for a reinforced holder for disposable rain hoods and other rain protection devices. The present invention improves on the inventions of patent application Ser. No. 09/484,104 and patent application Ser. No. 09/548488 as well as the inventor""s existing design for disposable receptacles for umbrellas, and is directed generally to overcoming the following problems associated with the prior art. Additionally, the present invention can be used with the display stand disclosed in the inventor""s recently filed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/495,086 (FIGS. 9-10).
New umbrellas are generally sold with a storage bag. The storage bag is usually made of a material similar to the collapsible cover of the umbrella, such as a nylon weave, and is sized and configured to hold the umbrella when the umbrella has been collapsed and is not in use. If the umbrella is wet from a recent rain shower, placing the umbrella in the storage bag will keep the rain water from dripping off of the umbrella and wetting the floor, where the water may dirty the floor or cause a passerby to slip. However, because the owner of an umbrella seldom knows when he or she will need to use the umbrella, the owner will frequently, and often haphazardly, place the umbrella in a place where it will be available at a moment""s notice, such as in an office desk, a purse, a brief case, the floor of a closet, the trunk of an automobile, or even the floor of an automobile. After a period of storage and use of the umbrella, the storage bag often becomes lost, and in any event is usually unavailable when needed following use of the umbrella during a rain shower.
As mentioned above, the inventor has developed an apparatus and method for supplying disposable receptacles for umbrellas. The disposable receptacles consist of an elongated plastic bag that is designed to fit over a collapsed umbrella. The disposable receptacles keep wet umbrellas from dripping water, and thus prevent slips, soiling of floors and carpets, and other consequences of tracking rain water into a public building. A stand is provided for displaying and dispensing the disposable receptacles. The stand consists generally of a base, a pole extending substantially vertically upward from the base, and a bracket member for holding a plurality of disposable receptacles for umbrellas. (See FIGS. 3 and 4) Such display stands and disposable receptacles have been successful on the market, and are used particularly in public buildings that have heavy foot traffic. However, the disposable receptacles are useful only for individuals who happen to have umbrellas with them. There is thus a need for a disposable receptacle that can be conveniently displayed on such stands, and thus can be dispensed as needed during rain showers.
Rain protection garments, such as rain coats, rain hoods, ponchos, and the like, are used to keep individuals dry during rain showers. Such garments are typically designed for repeated use, and are therefore made of durable, rain impermeable materials such as canvas, oilcloth, nylon and the like. Disposable rain hoods and ponchos are also available. Disposable rain hoods are typically made of plastic sheets. Disposable rain hoods find particular uses at outdoor events, such as festivals and sporting events, where a sudden, unexpected shower may catch individuals without umbrellas or rain protection garments. In such circumstances, disposable rain hoods can be sold at low cost or donated to individuals attending the event, and can then be discarded when no longer needed. As mentioned above, in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/484,104, the inventor recently disclosed a novel design for a disposable rain hood for display and dispensing from stands (see FIGS. 1-4).
The above disposable rain protection devices are typically distributed free of charge to patrons of public buildings and businesses. As a result, maintaining low costs of manufacture is important.
One particular problem that the inventor has experienced with the foregoing designs for disposable rain protection devices is that the display holder that holds the disposable rain protection devices may tear under the repeated stress of pulling disposable rain protection devices in order to separate the devices from the display holder. A design for existing display holders is shown as item 90 in FIG. 4. The display holder generally comprises a piece of paperboard, cardboard, other type of cardboard that is folded to form opposing flaps 96A and 96B. A stack of disposable rain protection devices 1 is attached to a lower end of the opposing flaps 96A, 96B. An aperture 92 passes through the opposing flaps 96A, 96B (FIGS. 3 and 4). As shown in FIG. 4, the display holder can be suspended from a display stand 200 by passing a prong 216 of the display stand through the aperture of the display holder 90.
Because of cost considerations in providing large volumes of disposable rain protection devices, the display holders 90 of such devices are typically made of paperboard, cardstock or other types of cardboard. Cardboard materials provide an optimal balance between tear resistance and economics of manufacture. However, cardboard materials, while generally tear resistant under the forces ordinarily encountered with this invention, are subject to tearing under certain circumstances, such as when excessive force is applied (for example, if a disposable rain protection devices does not tear away properly), after repeated stress from multiple pulls, or if the cardboard becomes wet. When a passerby pulls an individual disposable rain protection device in order to separate it from the display holder 90, stress is created between the prong 216 of the display stand 200 and the aperture 92. With repeated stress, such as when a dozen or more disposable rain protection devices are pulled and separated from the display holder 90, the display holder may tear at the aperture 92. Once a tear starts, it is likely to become larger. Continued removal of disposable rain protection devices may tear the aperture 92 to the point that the display holder, along with the disposable rain protection devices, falls off of the stand. Even in situations where the display holder does not tear entirely off of the display stand, tears may be unsightly, particularly to proprietors of businesses and public buildings.
The present invention is directed to overcoming the aforementioned problems without sacrificing the economic considerations that have helped make the inventor""s disposable rain protection devices a success.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved means for displaying and dispensing disposable rain protection devices, such as receptacles for umbrellas and rain hoods.
It is another object of the invention to provide a reinforced display holder for displaying and dispensing disposable rain protection devices that is resistant to tearing.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a reinforced display holder for displaying and dispensing disposable rain protection devices that is economical to manufacture, and therefore can be distributed free of charge or at low cost to the general public.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention shall become apparent from the following general and preferred description of the invention.
Accordingly, a stacked assembly of disposable rain protection devices having a reinforced holder for displaying and dispensing disposable rain protection devices from a bracket member of a display stand is provided comprising a display holder formed from a piece of cardboard folded upward along an upward fold and downward along a pair of downward folds to thereby form a pair of opposing display holder flaps and an integral reinforcement member comprising a pair of opposing reinforcement member flaps. Preferably, the reinforcement member flaps are fixedly attached to one another and are sandwiched between the display holder flaps and depend downward from an upper portion of the opposing display holder flaps. The display holder flaps and the reinforcement member flaps preferably have at least one aperture sized to receive the bracket member of the display stand to permit the suspension of disposable rain protection devices from the display stand via the display holder. The disposable rain protection devices comprise a suspension portion extending from an edge and connected to the edge by a frangible perforation. Preferably, the devices are stacked, attached to one another by a fastening means passing through the suspension portions, and sandwiched between the lower portion of the opposing display holder flaps such that a disposable rain protection device may be detached by pulling the device and breaking the frangible perforation.
In one preferred embodiment, the plurality of disposable rain protection devices are disposable receptacles for umbrellas. Each disposable receptacle for umbrellas comprises an elongated bag having an open end for receiving a wet umbrella and a closed end for preventing water from the wet umbrella from leaking from the receptacle. The disposable receptacles for umbrellas are preferably attached to the display holder via a suspension portion, the suspension portion being detachably connected to the open end of the elongated bag by a frangible perforation, such that a selected disposable receptacle may be selectively detached from the suspension portion and the display holder by pulling the disposable receptacle relative to the display holder to thereby break the frangible perforation.
In another preferred embodiment, the plurality of disposable rain protection devices are disposable rain hoods. The disposable rain hoods comprise a pair of opposing flaps, the flaps attached to one another substantially along respective upper edges thereof, the flaps further attached to one another substantially along respective rear edges thereof, the upper and rear edge attachments providing a rain-impermeable barrier along the upper and the rear edges of the disposable rain hood, and the disposable rain hood having a substantially open front edge and a substantially open lower edge for receiving a head and torso of a user of the disposable rain hood. A head stop is preferably provided for properly positioning the head of a user in the disposable rain hood. The head stop further attaches the respective opposing flaps to one another. The head stop extends downward substantially from the sealed upper edge of the disposable hood and extends substantially parallel to an upper portion of the sealed rear edge. The head stop is also preferably positioned a sufficient distance from the open front edge of the disposable rain hood to thereby permit the head stop to function as a rear barrier for a back portion of the head of the user while the hood simultaneously shields the head of the user from rain. Each of the opposing flaps of the disposable rain hood are preferably provided with at least one hole. The hole is preferably positioned substantially along the forward edge, so as to permit the forward edges of the disposable rain hood to be selectively held together either by fingers of the user or by a tie passing through the holes to thereby secure the hood on the user. The disposable rain hoods are preferably attached to the display holder via a suspension portion, the suspension portion detachably connected to the lower edge of the flaps of the disposable rain hood by a frangible perforation, such that a selected disposable rain hood may be selectively detached from the suspension portion and the display holder by pulling the disposable hood relative to the display holder to thereby break the frangible perforation.
Methods of constructing and displaying the foregoing reinforced display holder and associated disposable rain protection devices also provided.